welcome to the forum ...

you can do anything you want with your plant... ITS YOURS ...

pruning never killed anything ..

that said.. your words mean little to me.. can you post a pic????

you would surely get the best advice with such ...

it would also be nice to know where you are ... and why you planted in august????

i usually do NOT top or prune new trees.. for at least two years.. give them time to settle in.. before i force my will on them .... leaves/needles are food making machines.. if you cut too many off ..... whats going to feed the root growing process.. to get the plant 'established'????

when dealing with trees ... of which conifers are ... its best to think in terms of tree years ... rather that your need for instant gratification ....

ken

thanks ken! i live in NY I planted the atlas in the beginning of July i hope thats ok. I have new growth so I'm thinking the tree is doing well. here is a pic, thanks so much for your help i love this tree lol. if you need another pic let me know. thanks again.

actually.. this summer has been rather forgiving about planting anytime... but do understand.. that might not be the rule next year ...

i usually hold potted stock until sept ... when days are warm for root growth.. but nights are cool for recovery ...

that is a huge transplant ... good luck ...

but you need to post a pic of the barren leader you are talking about ... no need to leave a dead stick on the plant ... but i dont see such on this pic .... i would just cut back to a live branch off said dead stick ...

i dont see a root flare ... i hope its not planted too deep ... but at a min.. pull mulch off the trunk ... just a few inches ...

more pix??? ... simply reply to this post ...

ken

the leader I'm talking about is not dead but theres not much growth for about two feet then the tip has a few branches. i wanted to cut him to where he starts to droop down to where more established branches are growing. I pulled the mulch back i did burry him deep as we get high winds here. should i expose more root? i didn't want to damage them.

tough to see any routs

tree looks healthy w new growth so I'm thinking he will be ok? again the leader is not dead it just seams like it should be cut back in the winter so i can steak the thicker lateral branches on the higher portion of tree for training. thanks again for your input

another pic, see on the right where he droops to nearly the mulch,, i wanted to cut back where he 90* downward, where there is nicer branches to train otherwise main leader seems to long

I think your tree looks nice. Do you want to remove the leader because you want to train it in a different way, or because of the bare area? The bare area will slowly fill in with new growth.

If you want to train it in a different way, wait a year or two and let the tree settle in first.

Tree will try to choose a new leader when you remove the current one, meaning another branch will likely become the dominant branch growth wise.

crikey ...

put down the pruning shears and step away ... dont make me have to send someone to come take them away from you ...

at this point.. all i would care about.. is that it lives thru winter ... and how much die back there might be...

ipso .. presto ...i would prune in spring.. after i see what lives.. i always fear.. cutting off the one that would live.. and leaving the one that would die ...

again... this thing will either die within two years.. or live for 50 ... whats your hurry in pruning it into some shape ...[the two years.. is the approximate time it will take.. to get settled in ... and what we call... get ESTABLISHED ... you are responsible for all watering during that period]

the root flare looks fine ... its a dead issue ...

read how to properly water it.. at the link ...

and keep it MOIST .. but not sopping wet.. thru late fall ... and that means FINDING OUT ... how water moves thru your soil ... we want that whole root mass planted .. to stay dampish ... but not wet ... if you have clay soil.. that can be a real problem ... is that an issue ...????

many peeps put their hoses away in october.. and forget that november can be very dry .... just because its getting cold outside.. doesnt mean it cant be a drought .... its usually NOT an issue ... but that doenst mean you dont check on it ...

good luck ..

ken

ps: NEVER FERT IT EITHER ... its not a child ... it doesnt need to be fed .. and will soon have roots under the lawn and be stealing lawn fert ... or it will be dead ... lol ..

Here is a link that might be useful: link

how did you get that thing home????

trying to picture it.. hanging out the back of a two person electric car ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Specimen is thin, as though showing signs of root loss due to transplanting. No benefit in terms of increased density is to be seen by lopping off part of the top, in fact top reduction at planting time reduces root growth over the short term which then, if anything delays recovery of top from transplanting.

Trees are integrated systems, when you reduce one part it affects another. That is partly why bonsai are taken out of their pots or dishes and root-pruned, the root reduction helps dwarf the top.

If you want your cedar to thicken up grow it well and it will become more lush, without pruning. It will also look better - now and later - if the one part has not been made into a stub.

Firstly thanks to you all. (first blog I've been in good stuff) secondly thanks for the info ken-a and Ken, I will wait to cut him back but will start training/ staking the thicker leaders to grow where I'd like them too. Bboy you have my wife worried about my girth- its a transplant not sure how old he is- if he dies I will be f$&n upset 500$ specimen. NY prices I guess?
Qestion- can u propagate from clippings? Would like a baby?

Shears are down! And what a sight driving this thing home in my tesla!
Glad I bought the stock last year.